Georgia's MIA: policemen who dispersed the rally duly punished

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has reacted to the "World Report 2012: Georgia", published by the Human Rights Watch (HRW) and dealing with the dispersal of the protest action in Tbilisi on May 26, 2011, and absence of proper inquiry into the incident. Shota Utiashvili, the head of the information-analytical service of the MIA, has reported about an objective inquiry and punishment of those guilty.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the annual report of the HRW pointed out - in the chapter on Georgia - to violations of citizens' rights by the police.

"On May 26, 2011, police used water cannons, tear gas, and rubber bullets to disperse anti-government protests in Tbilisi, 15 minutes after the rally permit expired. Police pursued fleeing demonstrators, detaining some 160, and beating many, including those who offered no resistance. Police also interfered with the work of Georgian and foreign journalists, verbally and physically assaulting at least ten and detaining two," runs the report of the HRW.

According to the authors of the report, despite the fact that 16 policemen involved in the dispersal of the rally were punished, "the authorities did not investigate allegations of ill-treatment by police."

Utiashvili: police do not know journalists by sight

"On the outcomes of the inquiry, we applied most stringent measures against the perpetrators, which are assumed by the law. 16 policemen received disciplinary punishments; four of them were completely dismissed from the MIA. What other more stringent measures could we take? We work with the rest of the MIA personnel to eliminate such cases in the future," Mr Utiashvili told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"It was just a misunderstanding. We must admit that most of the policemen are not in contact with journalists; they don't know many of them by sight. Others just didn't understand the role of mass media and believed that reporters themselves were participants of the action. As a precaution, we took part in the trainings, organized in summer by OSCE trainers. They explained both journalists and policemen how to behave during rallies. Journalists were given special blue vests that policemen could distinguish the media from the protesters," said Utiashvili.

The spokespersons of Georgia's courts have refused to make any official statements on the report of the HRW.

The Prosecutor's Office of Georgia also refrained from making any comments.

Tsiklauri: HRW's criticism is useful for Georgia

On behalf of the ruling party, the report was commented only by the MP Nugzar Tsiklauri, a member of the parliamentary majority. According to his story, the government will examine the Georgian chapter of the report published by the HRW. "In those areas, where we believe the criticism to be just, measures will be taken. This is a typical working procedure," said Nugzar Tsiklauri.